“If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”

Romans 12:18 NASB

The LORD sends us into the world to be His ambassadors (2Cor. 5:20) and part of the kingdom of priests (Ex. 19:5–6; 1Pet. 2:9–10; Rev. 5:9–10). Will we go? Will we face challenges of our own making or ones that are out of our control? Division is toxic to the Kingdom of God. How are we living this out?

In this study of the Torah reading וישלח Vayishlach (Genesis 32:3–36:43), we will go over a few of Yeshua’s parables that will make Ya’akov’s WWE match with the Angel of the LORD look logical. We will learn more about how God teaches us. We have been sent to a world full of brokenness while experiencing brokenness ourselves. How we deal with the brokenness of others and divisions and disagreements in the Body is a sign of our spiritual maturity. 

Ya’akov vs. Elohim

The reason the Jews don’t eat the sinew of the hip is not a relic of superstition but of commemoration (Genesis 32:22–32). Do we remember our scars and what lead to them? What do we do with our temptations? Invite them in or chain them? Those struggles with sin or our acquiescence to sin will plot the course of our entire lives just as they did with Cain, Jacob, etc. 

* Struggling with God has been an important part of the people of God from the beginning.

* Adam and Chavah (Eve) “wrestled” with the instruction to trust the LORD or the voice of the serpent.

* The appearance of an agent of Elohim to wrestle with Ya’akob is a reminder that the spiritual realm can use agents to act or speak for them, such as the serpent in Eden for the Adversary.

* Abraham had a vivid vision of God as a torch in deep blackness, passing between the sacrifice pieces to seal the deal single-handedly with Abraham.

What are these epiphanies we see in the word? Jacob wrestles with God, Abraham eats a meal with God, who were Jacob and Abraham communing with in reality? The entire Heavens can’t contain the Creator so how can Jacob wrestle with Him or how can Abraham feed him a simple meal of bread, cheese and roasted meat? 

There are more examples of humans wrestling with God, on a less literal level. 

* Though the account doesn’t say what time of day the LORD came after Moshe’s uncircumcised sons during the trip to Mitsraim from Midian, it could have been at night (Ex. 4:24–26). The account says they were “at the lodging place,” presumably after traveling by daylight. Zipporah  “wrestled” with God on Moshe’s behalf.

* Israel “wrestled” with God’s destroyer during the night of the first Passover, “prevailing” over the destroyer via the blessing of the blood of the Pesakh (Passover) lamb/goat.

All of these people: Adam and Eve, Abraham, Jacob, Zipporah and the children of Israel all had to learn a very important lesson. They had to decide whether to obey and follow God or obey and follow their own inclinations. 

Apostle Paul admonished the Ephesian congregation to “put on all of God’s armor” — truth, righteousness, readiness of news about peace from the Kingdom of God, trust in God, God’s salvation and the word of God:

“our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12 NASB)

The battle they all fought was bigger than them. They fought spiritual battles bigger than all of us.

The Greek word translated struggle is πάλη palē

* struggle = πάλη  palē (G3823)

* wrestle in Gen. 32:25 LXX (Septuagint) is ἐπάλαιεν epalaien, from παλαίω palaiō.

* wrestle = אָבַק ’avaq (H79), “to stir up dust,” struggle. 

* Eysau (Esau) was called Edom,